Influence of partial pressures of acetylene and nitrogen upon nitrogenase activity of species of beijerinckia

Acetylene reduction and nitrogen fixation by strains of Beijerinckia indicaand B. lacticogenes increased with increased partial pressures of acetylene and nitrogen up to 80 kPa. The optical emission spectrophotometric method was used for the determination of N: N ratios. The molar ratios of acetylene to nitrogen varied greatly from the theoretical value

Bacterial reduction of fensulfothion and its hydrolysis product 4-methylsulfinyl phenol.

Oxygen-limited cultures of Klebsiella pneumoniae reduced 4-methylsulfinyl phenol to 4-methylthiophenol. A study of the effect of 4-methylthiophenol on the growth of K. pneumoniae revealed that the specific growth rate was retarded by 40% in the presence of 200 micrograms of the phenol per ml. A soil bacterium, Hafnia sp., was isolated that could reduce the organophosphorus insecticide fensulfothion to fensulfothion sulfide

Influence of Colloidal Iron on the Respiration of a Species of the Genus <i>Acinetobacter</i>

Washed suspensions of Acinetobacter sp. isolated from water caused the precipitation of iron from a suspension of colloidal ferric iron at pH 6.0 and 7.6. Iron-encrusted cells of the bacterium formed large aggregates. The amount of iron removed from the colloidal preparation in the form of aggregates was from 21 to 52% at pH 7.6 and 49% at pH 6.0 by the bacterial cells. Endogenous respiration rates of the iron-encrusted cells were from 32 to 72% lower than the rates for unencrusted cells. Respiration rates, measured polarographically in the presence of glucose, were also greatly reduced by the coating of iron on the cells. </jats:p

Bacterial reduction of fensulfothion and its hydrolysis product 4-methylsulfinyl phenol

Oxygen-limited cultures of Klebsiella pneumoniae reduced 4-methylsulfinyl phenol to 4-methylthiophenol. A study of the effect of 4-methylthiophenol on the growth of K. pneumoniae revealed that the specific growth rate was retarded by 40% in the presence of 200 micrograms of the phenol per ml. A soil bacterium, Hafnia sp., was isolated that could reduce the organophosphorus insecticide fensulfothion to fensulfothion sulfide.</jats:p

Utilization of Iron Gallate and Other Organic Iron Complexes by Bacteria from Water Supplies

The degradation of four soluble organic iron compounds by bacteria isolated from surface waters and the precipitation of iron from these complexes by the isolates was studied. All eight isolates brought about the precipitation of iron when grown on ferric ammonium citrate agar. Three isolates were able to degrade ferric malonate, and three others degraded ferric malate with iron precipitation. Only three isolates, two strains of Pseudomonas and one of Moraxella , were able to degrade gallic acid when this was supplied as the sole carbon source. One strain of Pseudomonas was found to be active in degrading ferric gallate. Electron microscopy of cells of this bacterium after growth in ferric gallate as the sole carbon source yielded results indicating uniform deposition of the iron on or in the bacterial cells. Seven of the isolates could degrade the iron gallate complex if supplied with additional carbon in the form of yeast extract. </jats:p

Loss of Social/Non-social Context Discrimination by Movement Acceleration in the Valproate Model of Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental alteration characterized by social/communicative deficits, repetitive/stereotyped movements, and restricted/obsessive interests. However, there is not much information about whether movement alterations in ASD comprise modifications at the basic kinematic level, such as trajectory and velocity, which may contribute to the higher level of processing that allows the perception and interpretation of actions performed by others, and hence, impact social interaction. In order to further explore possible motor alterations in ASD, we analyzed movement parameters in the Valproate (VPA) animal model of autism. We found that VPA-treated rats displayed greater movement acceleration, reduced distance between stops, spent more time in the corner of the open-field arena, and executed a number of particular behaviors; for example, supported rearing and circling, with no major changes in distance and velocity. However, in the social interaction test, we found other alterations in the movement parameters. In addition to increased acceleration, VPA-rats displayed reduced velocity, increased stops, reduced distance/stop and lost the social/non-social area discrimination that is characteristic of control rats in acceleration and stops variables. Hence, even if prenatal VPA-treatment could have a minor effect in motor variables in a non-social context, it has a crucial effect in the capacity of the animals to adjust their kinematic variables when social/non-social context alternation is required.</jats:p